Nacole Palmer, Soprano

 Praised by the New York Times as “most impressive,” “gorgeous,” “lovely,” “precise, brightly projected” and for her “depth and nuance,” soprano Nacole Palmer is an oratorio and concert artist to watch in the early music scene, and is equally at home on the operatic and recital stages. Ms. Palmer splits her time between Maine, Boston, and  New York City. 

Carnegie Hall debut: Handel’s Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New York. Lincoln Center debut: Bach's Christmas Oratorio  with the Riverside Choral Society. Other solo credits include acclaimed performances with The Clarion Music Society; Bach's St. John Passion and Orff's Carmina Burana with Seraphic Fire of Miami; Haydn’s Creation with the Ulster Choral Society; Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with Trinity Wall Street. Ms. Palmer’s first professional recording, The Complete Haydn Masses, was released on the NAXOS label; in it she joined The Choir of Trinity Wall Street as soprano soloist for Theresienmesse, Schöpfungsmesse, and Harmoniemesse, all conducted by Jane Glover. Ms. Palmer was also the soprano soloist for Theresien and Schöpfungs Masses, as well as Handel’s Messiah, in concert with Ms. Glover, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, and Rebel Baroque Orchestra. 

Ms. Palmer is the winner of several competitions, including the NY Oratorio Society Competition (Best Baroque Performance and Best Classical Performance), the Quinnipiac Vocal Competition (First Place), the Houston Young Soloist Competition (First Place), and the William Waite Concerto Competition of Yale University (Third Place). She was a Fellowship Recipient in the Vocal Chamber Music program at the Aspen Music Festival. She is a graduate of Yale University (B.A.) and Rice University (M.M.).

A passionate proponent of arts and music as avenues of strengthening communities, Ms. Palmer co-founded the Yale College Opera Company in 1998, and she helped start a music camp in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, LA, in 2009. Both have grown into flourishing organizations with their own leadership and new names: Opera Theater of Yale College and Make Music NOLA. She is also co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Zenith Ensemble, the new professional vocal ensemble of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, which was founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to great music. (www.zenithensemble.com)